1. A documentary is not a reality show. Two different things. It does remain to be seen what this IS, exactly, but I'll bet it less Kardashians and more 30 for 30. And it sounds like there won't be cameras at practices or in the locker room, aside from normal media availability, making this less "intrusion" and more "same shit, more cameras".
2. I wonder if the NFL is going to assign the Rams to Hard Knocks. And I really wonder, if that happens, just how pissed is Oprah that NFL Films gets inside access and a similar amount of sit-down interview time with Sam? Because the Rams on Hard Knocks really does seem like the biggest no brainer in the history of earth.
3. I think that any endorsement deals (and really, this is like a Nike contract only its an Oprah contract) will matter less to Sam's relationships with fellow Rams players than his actual effort in practices and in the locker room. Sure, some will have a preconceived idea about who he is but it'll matter much more to most of them whether he's busting his ass to make the team.
4. It is certainly a possibility that Sam doesn't make the team. I am 99.99% sure that if he doesn't, it won't be because of Oprah. Jeff Fisher is many things - mustache aficionado, rules committee toadie, former player, one of the coaches with the most seniority in the league, employer of Gregg Williams, clock mis-manager - but I don't think he's going to care about much other than "can this guy help the team win?" That is the only standard that matters.
5. The Rams will have the most "unnamed player" quotes in the history of journalism this season. At least half of them will be pure, unadulterated BS. This one seems genuine because it's so vague and indeterminate. I really don't see anything here that suggests Sam is in any more danger of being cut today than he was yesterday.
The magnitude of this media coverage is going to be unprecedented. They are going to go hog wild covering every tiny, ridiculous aspect of this story. We're gonna eventually hear from the assistant equipment manager for his Pop Warner team and everyone in between. The amount of signal (i.e. his ability to play football/make the team) is going to be overwhelmed by the noise (i.e. everything else, including unnamed player quotes).